Customs: A New Dremel Dilemma or A Tracks Reshell idea

Hey All! So here's the deal. I half-heartedly put on my birthday list for this year that I wanted a Dremel, for kitbashing and stuff. I really just put it there as like a dream item, a "I know I'm not going to get this but I'm going to put it down anyway" thing cause I know I am no where near as talented at kitbashing as a lot of you guys are and I don't really have a great need for one. I just thought it would be cool to have one in case I did need one. So when I was opening my gifts I was really surprised to see a brand new Dremel among them. Now I've got this sweet new toy to play with and nothing to use it on. Any of the essential minor mods I could have done with this I managed to do already with this other really crappy, low power rotary tool we had in our garage and a little extra work, so what can I do now? Should I wait until people come up with the new essential mods for DOTM toys or just create my own project? I think I've come up with my own cool project.

(Now the part you'll actually want to read.)
Not too long ago I was on Testor's site looking at different paint colors and came across this 1/32 scale Corvette kit. After drooling over the many awesome reshell posted on this site I knew that 1/32 scale was just about the same scale as most deluxes and immediately thought that it would be really sweet if someone used this kit to reshell RTS Tracks into a real modern Corvette instead of a Corvette-ish car. Since I now have the main tool required to do a reshell, should I try doing one with this kit? Does anyone know if this will be a decent kit to work with? Maybe I should just get the kit for later when I'm a little more experienced (I'm not planning on starting the reshell immediately anyway). Does anyone even like this idea period? Please, tell me what do you all think?

Getting multiple kits isn't a bad idea. I actually didn't think of that. Although, the kits are $10 a piece so I'm not sure I want to spend that much on them with some of the new DOTM stuff I want to get. Also, getting additional Trackses (Tracksi? ) will be a little difficult too considering I live in one of those places that have not been getting any RTS/Generations toys. I think I am going to go and try and find at least one extra Tracks today based on both of your "Just try it dude!" style words of encouragements. Thanks guys!

I say go for it and if you mess up, you can always pick up a second then. I wouldn't recommend using a dremel to cut the shell though. Nothing against it and it will work, but the dremel cutting discs/wheels will take out just a bit too much plastic, possibly leaving some gaps in alt mode. I haven't done a reshell myself just yet (still planning out my Aerialbots reshells), but your best cutting tool for doing reshells is a jewelers saw/miter saw and a miter box. The blades are very thin and fine and let you cut the plastic, without taking out too much of it (in other words, minimal gapping) and with the help of the miter box, you should get perfect, straight cuts.

I say go for it and if you mess up, you can always pick up a second then. I wouldn't recommend using a dremel to cut the shell though. Nothing against it and it will work, but the dremel cutting discs/wheels will take out just a bit too much plastic, possibly leaving some gaps in alt mode. I haven't done a reshell myself just yet (still planning out my Aerialbots reshells), but your best cutting tool for doing reshells is a jewelers saw/miter saw and a miter box. The blades are very thin and fine and let you cut the plastic, without taking out too much of it (in other words, minimal gapping) and with the help of the miter box, you should get perfect, straight cuts.

Good luck, man! Looking forward to seeing this!

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Thanks for the advise Brian. I was actually planning to cut the model apart with a thin saw like said. In my comment in my original post about the Dremel being
"the essential tool for reshells" (where I'm assuming you inferred that I was dremeling the car apart from) I was mostly referring to its grinding ability which will beessential in getting the new car shell fit over the existing alt mode. No need to worry. I was actually hoping you'd comment Brian cause I will probably shoot you a pm asking your advise on this build at some point based on your kitbashing experience and I also plan on adding your mods to Tracks in addition to the reshell! I'm not too worried about him being the perfect Tracks reshell, just a good one. Hopefully, knowing how much of a perfectionist I am and that I can pm most Radicons that have already made successful reshells to ask advise on problems I run into, I will be able to pull off a decent looking reshell. Speaking of reshell veterans, I know that Wheeljack, xaviercal, JaZZzMan26, Wikkid, Jarrod, Frenzy_Rumble, and encline have all had amazing reshells in the past. Is there anyone else I should add to my list of people to pm questions too?

Now I'm off to Hobby Lobby to pick up the kit and a couple other supplies and then to the Target next door for a little toy hunting. I'll update you all tonight on the quality of the kit and I'll also snap a pic of how it fits over an unmoded Tracks in case anyone else wants to try this reshell too. See ya!

Anytime, man.....you know me, if I can help out, I will! As for reshell artists, the main ones I would ask advice from would be the ones you listed. There's no real particular order with those guys--they all do excellent work. I would definitely hit up WJ, Wikkid, and Encline--I think they've had a bit more experience with doing reshells, but I would also hit up the others based on their work. You can never have too much advice or help on something like this. Also, check the tutorials here--I think there are some nice alt ones also (Jaf did a killer Alt Jazz "G1" reshell years ago that will blow you away if you haven't seen it yet).

I'll try to help out the best I can. I haven't attempted a reshell yet, but I've been wanting to for a few years now. I've had the model kits ready for my Aerialbots, just haven't done anything with them yet (picked 'em up back in April of '09).

Definitely looking forward to seeing the model kit and how it looks in comparison soon. Just hit me up with any questions and I'll help you out if I can, my friend!

Okay folks, I'm back reporting on the quality of the kit. The cool thing is that I got it 30% off on sale for $6.99! (Looks like I might pick up a second after all.) The plastic quality is actually really good. I thought it might be ABS for a second based on it's smoothness but wasn't surprised to find that it was polystyrene when I googled the number 6 plastic recycling code it's labled with. The whole kit is molded in a nice red color. Unfortunately I do mean the WHOLE kit, wheels and all. (which I was hoping might be rubber, but what do you expect for a cheap $10 kit) The kit comes with the parts, instructions, one of those cheap and crappy paintbrushes, three flip-top pots of acrylic paint (2 flat black and 1 silver), and (the coolest thing I think) a set of waterslide decals with all the proper Corrvette logos and stuff. Overall, not the greatest model kit ever but at the price still a pretty good deal. As you might be able to tell by my attached pics, the car shell looks to be a pretty awesome fit for the Tracks mold. It is slightly thinner than Tracks in alt mode, mostly in the front, but I think that will be okay considering how much extra plastic Tracks has on the sides of his legs. With the lack of rubber tires and the fact that the rim designs are almost exactly the same (I'll snap a pic later after I do my test build) I think I'll be able to use Tracks' original wheels, which I'm excited about cause the wheel swap was one of the things i was dreading. If you are interested in this kit to try a reshell for yourself too, feel free to ask me anything about it and I'll try to answer you the best I can. I'm willing to snap more pics too. Like I said earlier, I'm not planning on starting this project immediately (other than just building the car itself for fun) so it should be all in one piece (or its original pieces)for a while.

Yes there were actually. As I said before, I bought this at my local Hobby Lobby and they had a few other possible candidates for donations! (insert evil laugh) They had a few different Willys that might be perfect for a Hound custom. The reshell master himself Wheeljack used a 1/35 scale Tamiya kit for his Hound, if I remember correctly, that they had in stock at $35 (minus 30% with the current sale) in addition to a Testors diecast 1/32 one, and another 1/32 ( I think?). Follow the link in the first post and backtrack from there to see the other Testor's kits in the same line that I'm using (I think they had all the rest of those). I don't know what they are off the top of my head cause they weren't cars I instantly associate with TFs like this kit. They had a few more random euro super-car diecast models in addition to all the rest of the kits I've listed so far. The only one of those I remember was something like a Lambo Gallant that was yellow so I immediately thought Sunstreaker, but I really think the Lambo-like alt mode of Classics SS is close enough for me so I didn't give it much thought. I can go back and if you want but I'm not sure how much it'll help you considering we live in different states, unless you want me to mail you one which I could do I guess. One other cool 1/32 scale model that I'm kicking myself for not picking up right there on the spot was a diecast Porsche Carrera (or something like that) I saw in a Publix of all places a couple months back. It might have been a great model to make an ultra modern Jazz out of, but then again it was a grocery store model (probably questionable quality) and diecast (a whole beast on its own).

And now for a slight update: I put the kit together and it is actually pretty good but does have it's down sides. It has a lot of extra little balls of plastic you have to cut off that get annoying. These balls were strangely featured 3 times on each wheel and rim giving you a total of 4 nub scars (including the runner attachment point) to clean up on each piece. Good thing I don't plan on using those, right? Another strange place they put one was on the side of the side view mirrors (the edge that will be flush against the door if that makes more sense) right beside the peg you need to keep in tact to attach them to the car, making for a kinda tricky clean up job. I'm also having trouble getting the clear pieces for the head and tail lights to stay in place but I'm not too worried about that cause if they stayed in too well now I wouldn't be able to get them out again to paint and i don't want to have to mask them so they are okay to be set safely aside for now. Even with all this I still say the kit was worth the buy and can't wait to find another Tracks to start this project!!

Use some good adhesive. Once you have things set in place, you don't want to have to fool with the problems cheaper glue will yield.

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Thanks for the tips 'Quady! (Is okay if I call you 'Quady?) I didn't realize you've done reshells before? I'll have to search for those. I've heard "measure twice (or thrice) cut once" before but I'm sure you're right. "Test thrice cut once" is a little more appropriate for reshells. I'll definitely keep that in mind. I've also heard the tip of making sure the shell fits before cutting it apart at all, (This is to make sure that when it's done all the pieces of the shell will fit back together perfectly, right?) but it never hurts to hear it again cause I've been really, REALLY tempted to start cutting that shell up! But I know that it probably won't end well if I cut it now so I'll just have to wait until I get that other Tracks and grind it enough to get the shell to fit over it before I can do anything. Dammit... I plan to use a combination of glues on this build. I'm going to use some Testor's styrene model glue that I have on any of the model parts themselves because it's made for styrene and I've heard that that kind of glue works better on styrene. (Go figure) For any other gluing purposes I'll be using Loctite Control gel and Zap-A-Gap (CA glues) superglues, both of which I've heard different and multiple Radicons swear by in "What glue should I use?" threads so I should be okay. Thanks again for the tips man!

Slight Update Time!!!(too whet your anxious lips until I really get this guy started)
I realized soon after I posted my last update that I neglected to mention that this kit has no door windows, but I actually think that that might prove to be another good thing too (like the crappy wheels) because, if you'll look at Gen. Tracks, you'll notice that the pin that allows Tracks' chest to flap up a little goes straight through those windows so it might be better/easier to just modify those to fit the new car than trying to redo the pin in a new set of windows anyway. The only problem I can see with this idea is color matching (since I want the figure to still have tinted windows instead of painted over ones if at all possible) and changing the angle the pins set into the window so it fits the new car better (this I don't quite know how to fix). Other things that you can respond to while you're waiting for me to really get started include: Should I do a full repaint of Tracks along with the reshell or should I just leave it United Tracks-ish (ie. just paint the car shell and touch-up any places that need it after work is complete)? I plan to incorporate hXcpunk23's waist and arm mods to Tracks but are there any other mods that you think I should incorporated into this build? (Sorry, this does not include LED wiring mods cause I don't want to try and tackle that with my experience yet.)